The present invention relates generally to air dryers, and more particularly to a textile or carpet dryer for fixedly securing a carpet to the upper surface of the air outlet portion of the dryer using a maneuvering handle that is rotatably connected to the upper portion of the dryer housing, and which includes a tow handle on the upper portion of the dryer handle, an indentation on the lower surface of the dryer housing for receipt of a tow handle from another dryer, and a wheel.
To avoid costly damage, wet carpeting materials must be dried in a timely and effective manner. Left wet too long, or not completely dried, carpeting materials can be ruined by mildew.
Generally, large commercial air dryer units are utilized to dry carpets. Typically, these devices contain large motor and fan assemblies and are positioned along the outer edges or corners of the carpet such that the air outlet portion of the device is located underneath the carpet to provide a continuous stream of drying air between the carpet and the surface of the underlying floor, drying the carpet from the underside first.
One difficulty that decreases the effectiveness of this method is the tendency of the carpet to be blown off or away from the air dryer, precluding a strong airflow from being maintained between the carpeting and the floor below. This problem can occur if a high-powered dryer produces sufficient force to blow the carpet off or away from the blower, allowing air to spill out around the dryer instead of being forced under the carpet. Solutions to this problem have been attempted and clamps have been mounted on the dryer housing to hold the carpet against the housing.
Another difficulty encountered with many air-drying units is that they are bulky and not easily maneuvered between storage locations and the location of the wet carpet. To enhance maneuverability, maneuvering handles and wheels have been mounted on the dryer housing. The wheels are generally mounted near the back of the dryer housing. The maneuvering handles extend upward such that the handle may be grasped and the dryer rotated on its wheels to lift the front of the dryer. The dryer may be pushed or pulled using the maneuvering handle. While prior art handles have enhanced maneuverability of dryers, the upward and outward orientation of prior art maneuvering handles precludes the stacking of two or more dryers.
The present invention alleviates the problems of prior art carpet dryers by providing a dryer with a maneuvering handle that moves between a first position where it is used to move the dryer between locations, and a second position where it is clamped against the air outlet opening to retain the edge of the carpet in position. The present invention also includes a tow handle and correlated indentation for stacking of dryers.
The present invention is a dryer for drying textiles that comprises a blower for blowing air under the carpet, a maneuvering handle, and a tow handle. The blower includes a blower housing with a sleeve that forms an air outlet opening. A powered fan within the blower housing is also included for blowing air out of the outlet opening. The tow handle is located on the blower housing above the fan. To facilitate stacking of dryers, an indentation having a shape corresponding to the shape of the tow handle is included in the underside surface of the blower housing for receipt of a tow handle from a second dryer.
A maneuvering handle is rotatably connected at a first end to the tow handle. The maneuvering handle extends over the blower housing such that a foot located at the second end of the maneuvering handle rests on the upper surface of the blower housing sleeve. A clamp is included on the blower housing for generating a clamping force on the maneuvering handle such that the edge of a textile can be clamped between the foot and the upper surface of the blower housing sleeve. Lastly, a wheel is mounted on the blower housing. When the maneuvering handle is rotated upward and away from the blower housing, the dryer can be tilted onto the wheel to facilitate movement between locations.
In a detailed embodiment of the invention, the maneuvering handle includes two parallel arms and a bracket at the first end. The bracket is rotatably connected at a first end to the tow handle. In a detailed embodiment of the clamp, the clamp comprises a block molded on the blower housing. Grooves are molded into each side of the block for receipt of the maneuvering handle arms.
In accordance with another detail of the invention, the dryer includes a supporting bar rotatably connected to the lower surface of the blower housing sleeve. The supporting bar rotates between a first position where the supporting bar is rotated under the blower housing sleeve to vertically adjust the air outlet opening, and a second position where the supporting bar rests against the lower surface of the blower housing sleeve.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable carpet dryer having a mechanism for securing carpeting to the top surface of the air outlet portion of the device, while also providing a handle for maneuvering the dryer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable carpet dryer having a tow handle on the housing to aid in lifting and transporting the dryer, and a corresponding indentation on the underside of the dryer to facilitate stacking of dryers.